originate

verb

orig·​i·​nate ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt 

originated; originating

intransitive verb

: to take or have origin : begin

That board game originated in the 1940s.

transitive verb

: to give rise to : initiate

The composer originated 10 songs for the Broadway musical.

origination

ə-ˌri-jə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

Synonyms

• begin
• arise
• start
• appear
• commence
• be

Choose the Right Synonym for originate

spring, arise, rise, originate, derive, flow, issue, emanate, proceed, stem mean to come up or out of something into existence.

spring implies rapid or sudden emerging.

an idea that springs to mind

arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent.

new questions have arisen

slowly rose to prominence

originate implies a definite source or starting point.

the fire originated in the basement

derive implies a prior existence in another form.

the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast

flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception.

words flowed easily from her pen

issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet.

blood issued from the cut

emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (such as a thought) from a source.

reports emanating from the capital

proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause.

advice that proceeds from the best of intentions

stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development.

industries stemming from space research

Examples of originate in a Sentence

These stories originated during earlier times.

The book originated as a series of lectures.

The sound seemed to originate from outside the room.

The custom is believed to have originated in the western U.S.

He did not originate the idea.

The policy was originated by the previous administration.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ali attended Loughborough University, and originates from Ipswich. —Ali Rampling, New York Times, 22 June 2025

His turban is black and tied in the Kenyan style, a smooth, tailored look that originated among Sikhs who immigrated to British East Africa. —Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 21 June 2025

One claims that the area’s name originates from the love story between the demigod Hercules and a nymph named Amalfi. —Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025

Roberts also directed a play Betts wrote, Screen Test: Take One, about a soap opera that originated on a film set. —Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing originate

• originate with

Rhymes for originate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

originate

verb

orig·​i·​nate ə-ˈrij-ə-ˌnāt 

originated; originating

1

: to bring into existence : cause to be : initiate, invent

2

: to come into existence : arise

origination

-ˌrij-ə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

originator

-ˈrij-ə-ˌnāt-ər 

noun

Legal Definition

originate

verb

orig·​i·​nate ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt 

originated; originating

transitive verb

: to give rise to

specifically : to issue (a mortgage loan) usually for subsequent sale in a pool of mortgage loans to a secondary market compare service

intransitive verb

: to take or have origin

origination

ə-ˌri-jə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

originator

ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnā-tər 

noun